23 If you are a self - pay retiree tha t becomes “orphaned” because your former Employer stops participating in the National IAM Benefit Trust Fund due to the loss of a service contract, you will not lose your eligibility to continue self - payment for coverage provid ed : • The bargaining unit work continues under a successor contractor; • The successor contractor remains or becomes a contributing Employer to the Fund, and • The successor contractor continues to make the required contributions to the Fund for coverage of active bargaining unit employee s. Note: Orphaned retirees will lose eligibility for self - pay coverage when there is no successor service contractor or when they experience other termination events. Application of Continuation Coverage to Retirees Some contributing Employers of the Natio nal IAM Benefit Trust Fund provide Retiree coverage for qualified Retirees and their dependents. Refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement or other participation agreement for information on whether such coverage may be available, and for spe cific rules about how long such coverage is provided. Other contributing employers have no specific Retiree coverage. If there is a loss of coverage in either case, the Plan offers continuation coverage on a self - pay basis. If you are a covered Employee an d you lose coverage due to your termination of employment at retirement, or if you are a covered Retiree and you lose Retiree coverage for any reason, you may elect continuation coverage by making timely self - payments until the earliest of: • The date you return to active work; • The date you attain age 65 or become eligible for Medicare coverage; or • The occurrence of other applicable termination events described in the Termination of COBRA Continuation Coverage section of this Summ a ry Plan Description. If y ou are a retired Employee and should lose Retiree coverage due to the bankruptcy of your last contributing Employer, you have the right to choose continuation of health coverage for an indefinite period of time, but not beyond the occurrence of other appli cable termination events described in the COBRA Continuation Coverage section. Continuation Coverage or Extension of Coverage Other Than COBRA Some contributing Employers of the National IAM Benefit Trust Fund provide a temporary extension of healthcare co verage if the Employee is terminated or is totally disabled or hospitalized, and/or the Employer terminates participation in the Fund. Refer to your applicable p articipation a greement for information on whether such an extension may be available to you. Th e policy of the Trustees is that any such extension of coverage will be made available to you first, followed by COBRA Continuation Coverage so that you, your Spouse, and/or your Eligible Dependent Children will receive the maximum uninterrupted coverage p eriod that can be provided under the Plan and the terms of your employment.